Today the New York Times reported a jump in new home sales.  As I sit at my desk in the heart of Houston's historic Heights, I can testify - the market is brisk.  There are bidding wars everyday. Buyers in Houston have tons of cash. My listings are selling in 24 hours.  They're closing in less than 30 days. But I'm not talking about new homes. Or am I?  

With the historic districts firmly in place, totally new construction is almost non-existance in some popular neighborhoods.  But that's not stopping buyers; mainly because the protected historic districts happen to take in the bulk of the zones for the two most sought after elementary schools in the Heights area.  Find a home in the Travis or Harvard school zones that's not in the historic district for sale and a builder will be snapping it up in record time for even higher prices.  But buyers are eagerly signing up to renovate and add on to protected historic district homes too. It's a viable choice for buyers  on getting that new home feel and spaciousness their growing family craves. 

And architects and builders who are experienced in navigating the historic district architectural requirements are in high demands.  By design, the architectural guidelines are limiting the total square footage of historic homes, but buyers are signing up in record numbers to live large in less.  Three or four bedrooms in 2500 to 2700 square feet of living area may not constitue a mansion in suburban neighborhoods but in the Heights, it's enough for successful professionals who want to be home in 10-minutes, walk to dining and parks and yes, to great neighborhood schools. 

As throughout it's history, garage apartments are popular in the Heights.  They still make sense for so many families as a good option for the guest suite or the home office.  And they usually can be built new from the ground up, even in the historic districts. And the added square footage is currently not being added into the main home for tax purposes. New homes may no longer be available in many of  Houston's oldest neighborhoods but new construction quality is still a reality for buyers and builders who are willing to open their minds to the possibilities of renovating a historic home.